WORLD BRIEFING | EUROPE; Spain: A Conference of Religions

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: July 15, 2008

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia will open an international conference in Madrid on Wednesday meant to encourage representatives of the world's great religions ''to get to know each other,'' organizers of the event said. About 200 participants are expected at the conference, which is organized by the Muslim World League, acting on a suggestion from King Abdullah, above. Representatives of Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism will attend. The secretary general of the Muslim World League, Abdullah al-Turki, said participants would look for ways to enhance cooperation. Despite its role in creating the conference, Saudi Arabia is the only Arab Muslim country that bans all non-Islamic religious practices on its soil.